1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for unclogging a toilet, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for using air pressure to dislodge the clog.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of a device to push through or to dislodge a blockage to unclog a toilet has been generally known. Most of these devices have included a pump end that must be inserted into the toilet bowl and a long plunger handle used by the person to exert a downward force onto the pump end. Such a device is generally known as a xe2x80x9cplumber""s helper.xe2x80x9d Other, equally undesirable solutions to unclogging toilets include pouring water from a bucket into the toilet bowl, and waiting for the waste and paper to xe2x80x9csoften upxe2x80x9d so that the pressure within the bowl eventually flushes through the drainage system However, the methods for unclogging toilets are neither modern, efficient nor desirable.
The use of a plumber""s helper is often associated with two problems. The first problem is that the use of a plumber""s helper often splashes water or waste material from the toilet bowl. The second problem is that the use of a plumber""s helper is often difficult as the pump attached at the end of the plunger handle fails to provide a good seal between the pump and the water outlet near the bottom of the toilet bowl. Also, in order to be practical, the plumber""s helper must reside adjacent to the toilet, which is unsightly and creates sanitary issues, as the plumber""s helper must be cleaned after use in a toilet bowl with waste material in it.
The problem of splashing water has been dealt with by providing a cover or a shield with a small hole therein to prevent the water and waste material from spilling over the toilet bowl. The use of the shield reduces the spilling and the splashing of the liquid, but the handle portion of the plumbers helper must be manipulated through the small hole making the formation of a good seal around the water outlet near the bottom of the toilet bowl even more difficult. Moreover, the use of the shield did not allow the user to see the pump portion of the plumber""s helper, requiring blind operation underneath the shield, which often made the use very time consuming and inefficient. Furthermore, the plumber""s helper still needed to be cleaned.
In one embodiment, the invention is apparatus for unclogging a toilet for use with a toilet being of the type having a bowl for containing flushable water therein, the bowl having a rim that is higher than the surface of the water with the bowl, and a tank in fluid communication with the bowl for storing a flushing supply of water, the tank having a valve mechanism for stopping the flow of water from the tank to the bowl until operated and a vent tube. The apparatus includes a resilient sealing ring shaped generally to conform to the shape of the rim of the toilet, a support plate attached to said sealing ring configured such that a force exerted on the support plate is transmitted to the sealing ring to compress the sealing ring against the rim of the toilet forming a substantially airtight seal around the bowl. The apparatus further includes a sealing device insertable into the tank including a sealing surface configured to form a substantially air tight seal over the vent tube, said sealing device further including a member configured to mechanically block the operation of the valve such that air is substantially prevented from escaping from the bowl through the tank when the sealing ring is compressed.
In an alternate embodiment, the invention is a sealing device for use with apparatus for unclogging a toilet for use with a toilet being of the type having a bowl for containing flushable water therein, the bowl having a rim that is higher than the surface of the water with the bowl, and a tank in fluid communication with the bowl for storing a flushing supply of water, the tank having a valve mechanism for stopping the flow of water from the tank to the bowl until operated and a vent tube. The sealing device is insertable into the tank and includes a sealing surface configured to form a substantially air tight seal over the vent tube, said sealing device further including a member configured to mechanically block the operation of the valve such that air is substantially prevented from escaping from the bowl through the tank when the apparatus compresses air against the water in the bowl.